Meet the New Insta Brand Giving Glossier a Run for Its Money

Of course I'm still counting down the days until Glossier finally lands on UK soil (9 October, FYI) and I can stock up on my beloved Priming Moisturiser Rich without requiring a flight to NYC. But a few weeks ago, I spotted a new kid on the skincare block filling up my Insta feed: Lixir. I don't know whether it was the peachy-pink packaging or the straight-talking product names, but I knew I had to see if this new brand was worth the hype.

I did some research. The brand was founded by Colette Haydon, a doctor in dermo-pharmacy who, until now, has lived a life behind the heavy curtain of the beauty industry, quietly formulating incredible beauty products for heavyweight brands such as REN,HealGel and Jo Malone. You may not have heard her name, but I'm pretty sure you'll find a fair few products in your bathroom cabinet that Haydon is responsible for.

Her new baby, Lixir, is a capsule collection of six easy-to-use and (fundamentally) easy-to-understand skincare products that will fit seamlessly amongst the products you've already come to know and love, or can form a pretty efficacious skincare regimen themselves. And since I started testing them a couple of weeks ago, I've found myself doing the latter—that's how good they really are.

So what's all the fuss about? Keep scrolling to hear my product-by-product verdict.

This isn't just any old cleanser—inside the non-foaming gel lies negatively charged particles that on contact with the skin attract positively charged toxins (think pollution nanoparticles, free radicals and heavy metals) and sweeps them down the sink. Take that, city smog. Plus, it contains rosemary, sage, geranium and chamomile, making the scent herby and delicious.

I'm personally obsessed with vitamin C skincare products, largely because I love how they make my complexion look vibrant. But this clever 10-minute morning mask proves it's actually capable of so much more than that. A thick layer of this stuff will boost collagen productio, protect skin's elastin and hunt out and annihilate pesky free radicals. You know that feeling you get after you've had a large glass of OJ? Well, this somehow translates that sensation onto the complexion.

According to Haydon, "There is no such thing as a cream which is good for one part of your skin and not any others," and it's this rather refreshing theory that laid the groundwork for Universal Emulsion. Use this one-tube-suits-all moisturiser to nourish your face, eye contour, lips, neck, décolletage, arms and hands, and it will also shield skin from the sun and urban environmental aggressors. It's fairly thick and takes a while to really sink in, but once it's done, it's barely detectable beyond a light sheen.

This is where things get really clever. Aimed at skin that needs a little extra help, this is the first in a trio of skin boosters that will give your complexion a hand in getting back to its glowy self. This one is great for skin going through a bit of a hormone-induced breakdown, containing lactic acid to hydrate, salicylic to clear blocked pores and azelaic acid to control sebum production. Simply pat a couple of pumps onto the face avoiding the eye area. It's pretty hardcore in the acid stakes and will make skin even more susceptible to sun damage, so make sure you only apply it at night.

The second molecule booster is suited to those complexions that look a little uneven, dull and rough in texture. Inside you'll find lactobionic acid to reduce oxidative stress, as well as phytic acid, which will help detox the skin. Use this if you want cheeks as bouncy as a hotel pillow.

Okay, granted we've been conditioned to fear the word "retinol," but this booster will change your mind. It contains a fairly kind 1%, which will help regulate skin cell turnover and boost protein production to fill out skin that has started to go a little crepey. If ageing is your concern, you've just found your new best friend.